Coal Prices Rise: The Price of Heat in
1909

Rising natural gas prices during cold weather
are a reminder of an earlier generation's problems with the rising
cost of otherfuels.The OmahaDaily
News on December 1, 1909, announced a jump in the price of
coal, a serious matter for most Omaha families.

"Hard coal was advanced to $11 a ton
today by practically all the companies of the city," the
News said. "The coal men deny that there was any
concerted action in the matter. All of the dealers were selling
at $10.50 Tuesday. There has been no advance in the price at
the mines and no increase in freight rates to cause a simultaneous
'boosting' of the price by the retailers.

"For many years a summer price of
$10.00 a ton and a winter price of $10.50 for hard coal has prevailed
in Omaha until this year. This season the summer price was made
$10.50 and the winter price is now made $11.

J. A. Sunderland of the Sunderland Brothers
company told the News, "'I don't know what the other
fellows have done, but our price today is $11, . . . If others
have raised, it is merely a coincidence. There is no organization
among the coal men now and no understanding between them. The
reason for the advance is that the coal men have been selling
hard coal too low. They can't make any money.'

"Both Mr. Sunderland and Mr. Havens
of the Havens-White Coal company admit that the Chicago cost
and the freight on the coal is the same as for the last five
years." Havens listed the wholesale cost of purchasing and
moving a ton of coal to Omaha: cost at Chicago, $6.50; freight
charges, $2.50; unloading, $.10; cartage, $.70; screening and
shortage, $.20.

"At $11 a ton, the dealer, after paying
these expenses, has $1 left out of which to pay salaries and
get a profit. Salaries and yard expenses run from 40 to 60 cents
a ton, says Mr. Havens, which leaves 40 to 60 cents a ton profit
to the dealer.

"There is no advance in soft coal,
though one of 25 to 50 cents a ton on the grades was made a month
ago."

John Nelson's photo of a woman and girl with an upright piano,
bookcase, and heating stove (right). NSHS RG3542-77